British schoolgirl dies on ski trip after falling 20ft from chairlift in Italian Alps

A 13-year-old girl from Slough has died after falling 20ft from a chairlift during a school skiing trip in Piedmont, Northern Italy.

According to the Guardian, Poonam Bhattal was staying in the resort of Claviere near the French border with a group from the Guru Nanak Sikh academy, Middlesex, and is believed to have fallen from the lift at around 9.30am on Friday.

Emergency services attended to her but she died later on in the morning while being taken to hospital in Susa, about 25km from Claviere.

The BBC reports that Skibound, which organised the trip, said she was involved in the incident during her morning ski lesson.

A spokesperson for the school said it was a 'tragic accident' and described Poonam as a 'lovely student'.

Italian police are investigating the accident.

Local media reported that the bar on the Col Boeuf chairlift had been properly fixed.

In a statement the school said: 'The leader of this trip and everyone associated with it is devastated by the death of an absolutely lovely student.

'Our thoughts are with the family and all others in the community affected by this tragedy.'

The school party had been on a seven-day ski trip and remain in Italy.